There have been a few days recently that can only be summed up as "2 year old days." Days when Jack throws fits for no reason, won't do things just because, acts like a hormonal teenager. I honestly liken days like this to days when he can tell me he hates me and slam his door. That's how crazy and irrational they are.

I know he's testing his limits. Seeing what happens if....if he really bangs his fork and spoon together one more time, will he REALLY have to do to time out? Some of this whole, "I want Mommy to hold me and only Mommy to hold me and if anyone else holds me I will scream and shout and throw a fit like you're never seen and nothing, no nothing, will distract me from my desire to have Mommy hold me."

There's been a lot of that.

And then there's this too adorable for words little boy, eating his ice cream, saying hi to everyone who passes by.

And then there's this same little boy who kept licking the table. And when Mommy said, please quit licking the table said, "OK, Mamma." And would lick his ice cream, and then lick the table. And when Mommy said, "Please quit licking the table. We lick ice cream, not tables because tables are dirty. If you lick the table, we're going to have to throw your ice cream away and go bye-bye." And when asked what what would happen if he licked the table would say, "Throw ice cream away. Go bye-bye." And would sing, lick his ice cream look at Mommy and lick the table.

And then there were tears and gnashing of teeth.

And when asked why we had to throw the ice cream away, would say, "Licked table. Mamma said no lick table, or throw away ice cream."

When he looks like this because you asked him to eat one.......bite.......of a homemade pumpkin muffin?

And then after he finally eats ONE BITE, he gets up and proceeds to eat 3 muffins 5 minutes later?

And that place where since you took a picture on the first day of school, you now have to take a picture on every day you go to school?

And that place where all you ask him to do is say "Please" and you'll help.............and he won't? And he knows what that means, but doesn't want to do it, so he just cries for 10 minutes instead?

And that place where you tell him you'll put him in the swing when you finish snarfing down your breakfast while you try to talk to a friend, only you can't talk because said toddler is screaming in the background because he wants to swing NOW, and not play with the 20,000 other toys in the backyard that you've suggested?

And that place where he gives you straight up hugs and kisses while he pats your back?

And gets really excited to make his first batch of cupcakes?

And sings and plays his guitar like a freakin' rock star? And then acts like a rockstar when he demands that you sit on the big ball while he plays and sings into his microphone, and is so adorable you want to snatch him up and hug him forever and never allow him to grow up?

Yes, the video is long.....but he's so cute you just can't stop! And please excuse me and my waaaaay prego self. Not my most attractive.

And when he figures out that Mamma is the comforter and Daddy is the fun one?

You know that place in being pregnant when you have acid reflux when you eat a cheeseburger, acid reflux when you eat a grape, and acid reflux when you eat nothing?

And that place where you hip pops so loudly that it sounds like gunfire when you roll (if it could be called rolling) over in bed?

And every movement requires sometype of grunt?

And you wonder why in the world these stackable washer/dryer things were such a good idea as you squat and grunt to put in one of many looming loads of laundry?

And you're out of breath going from the kitchen to the couch with a glass of water?

And your toddler sits on your lap and uses your belly as an arm rest while he watches TV?

And you can't drink enough water?

And because you drink that much water, you go to the bathroom because you feel like you're about to explode, go back to the couch, and immediately have to get back up to go again?

And you have tator-tots with cheese on top and chocolate milk for lunch and dinner?

And you feel like everything in the nursery MUST be done TODAY because the baby's coming tomorrow....only it's not tomorrow, it's 6 weeks away?

And you thought you'd actually avoided the whole extremities swelling thing until you went on a trip (that you have yet to blog about) and from the moment you stepped on the plane, your feet and hands turned into balloons?

And going on a walk sounds like a great idea until you realize that all that walking you did today makes for some painful Braxton Hicks that evening?

And when your toddler is napping, you know you should nap, but it's the only time to get things done so you hang curtain rods and make book slings and glue bows onto the bumper pad?

So today, I started a board to pin the things I've actually done, just to validate myself, that I actually pin things for a purpose, not just pin things to pin things.

And there are 25 of them. 25 out of 1158. That's a laaaaame showing. Especially for someone who loves crafty things and loves new and different things.

BUT, this week alone, I've done 3 things! I've done this:

Tator-tot Casserole for dinner last night. Super yummy, I subbed a homemade cream soup base plus sauteed mushrooms for the cream of mushroom soup to make it a bit less processed. And it was a hit!

I've pinned a ton of activities for Jack to do.....and have done none of them. Until this week when we did this! I wasn't sure how he'd do, or if it'd be too frustrating. I mean, hand/eye cordination is not usually to good for 2 year old boys, but he's loving it! He calls it his "hat with the holes game."

And last but not least, this week, I did this for Owen's room! Jack has the gutter bookshelves, so I wanted something a little fun and different for Owen and this is it! I'm loving the cute-ness. I wish more of the book would show and that's something I might fix in the future, but for now, it's great.

Each night before bed, we say bedtime prayers. Jeff and/or I recite this sweet prayer:

Now I lay me down to sleep

I pray the Lord my soul to keep

Angels guard me through the night

And wake me with the morning light.

Make me a boy who's brave of heart

Willing and strong to do my part

Please help me to be good each day

And always honest in my play

I pray for all the wrongs I've done

That you'll forgive me, every one

Be near me when I wake again

And bless all those I love

Amen

In the past few months, we've added little "free-style" prayer at the end, letting Jack pray about whatever he wants to! We'll say, "Dear Jesus, thank you for" and Jack will repeat, "Dear Jesus thank you for," and he'll list the things he's thankful for.....which is basically a list of his favorite things.

It usually includes Nattie (Grammie's dog) and Buddy (Nana and Papaw's dog), even those are fairly predictable. Lately, we've added in Mickey and all his friends. So we pray for Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Minnie, Daisy, Pluto, and Pete. I mean, he does love them! He also loves to throw in lots inanimate objects. We pray for different people's cars, we pray for the guitars of every person we know (literally)...Uncle Andy's guitar, Zeb's guitar, Jeff's guitar....and he's so darn earnest about it, I absolutely love it! We went to visit my coustin and his family a few weeks ago (post coming soon!) and so now when we pray for Caleb, Carson, Jeff and Heather, we also pray for Heather's car and Jeff's truck....and their garage door, that goes up and down. He usually prays for people he's seen that day, which is always sweet.

I love seeing what he's thinking about and what he wants to pray for. Eek, I love my little man!